Na Jaane Kyon...

Jo dil pe nasha hai pehli dafaa hai

Sameer couldn't contain his excitement when he came to know that Naina had agreed. He immediately went to her room, entering after she answered the knock.

"Nanu ne bataya tumne Jaipur ke liye agree kar liya. Sure na? Agar koi bhi problem hai toh mujhe bata sakti ho... don't think it's a forced trip." Seeing her tensed expression, fear gripped his heart.

Ever since the incident in her house, Naina had started to feel more comfortable with Sameer... probably because he did not mention it even once after that day, or because he did not try to bridge the distance that she maintained with him, or maybe, because she found him to be genuinely caring for Ayush... she wasn't sure of the reason but she found it easier to share things with him.

"Trip is not the issue. Ayush ka matter bhi Maheshwari sir ne solve kar diya... I can take him along. Lekin ek problem hai... Ayush long drives mein bohot uncomfortable ho jaata hai. Aur Jaipur pohochane mein paanch ghante lagenge. Ayush toh meri band baja dega." She gave him a worried look.

Sameer felt a relief spread over him. If this was the only issue, he had the perfect solution.

"Hum flight se chalte hain. Usmein toh koi problem nahi hai na?" He smiled.

Naina's eyes rounded, "No no sir, I didn't mean that."

He held up one hand, "It's okay, Naina. Main tickets ke liye bol deta hun."

She stood up, a little apprehensive, "Aap... aap mujhe flight bata dijiye... Ayush ki ticket main khud karwa lungi... I don't want you to pay for him."

It was Sameer's turn to be shocked, "Why Naina? You think Ayush ke liye mera spend karna galat hai?"

She lowered her eyes, "Please understand, sir. Yahan office se yeh tickets hongi... koi casually mention kar dega... aur ulti seedhi rumour spread ho jayegi... ki main apne bhai ko office ke account pe leke jaa rahi hun. I... I don't want such gossip."

It took him a while to comprehend what she meant. Though he still wasn't convinced about her theory, saying no to her wasn't an option.

"Give me your laptop." He sat on the chair across hers, and waited for her to turn the open laptop towards him.

Naina shifted the screen to him.

A few quick taps later, he smiled up at her, "Maine Sunday ki teen tickets apne personal id se kara di hain, from my bank account. Is that fine?"

She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it without a word, nodding.

Ayush was on cloud nine when he came to know of their travel by flight, "Aeroplane se? Zoooom karke? Naina, hum upar udenge toh birds aa jayenge window se andar?"

She ruffled his hair, smiling at his innocent query, "Aeroplane ki window open nahi hoti... aur woh birds se bohot upar udta hai. Clouds se bhi upar."

With his eyes turning into saucers, Ayush clasped his mouth, "Clouds se bhi? Matlab hum rainbow ke beech se jayenge?"

Naina pinched his nose, "Buddhu, rainbow toh baarish mein aata hai. Abhi kahan se dikhega?"

"Clouds bhi toh baarish mein aate hain. Unke upar hi toh rainbow rehta hai." Ayush pouted.

"Tujhse jeetna impossible hai. Chal, packing karni hai ab." Shaking her head at his reasoning, Naina raced him to the room.

Two days later, they both boarded the cab that Sameer had booked. He had arranged for it to first pick them and then come to his house, as he didn't want Bhalla aunty to see them going together. By the time the cab reached his house, Sameer was out, waiting at the gate with his suitcase.